Lowri Williams is facing a week-long disciplinary hearing over her alleged conduct as a rugby coach at Llandovery College after an overnight rugby trip to London
A PE teacher, who is accused of disregarding concussion protocol during a school trip, resigned during an investigation. Lowri Williams, formerly a PE teacher and rugby coach at Llandovery College in Carmarthenshire, is facing a week-long disciplinary hearing over her alleged behaviour, including during a sevens tournament she took students to at Rosslyn Park in London.
It’s claimed that Ms Williams permitted pupils to carry on playing rugby after sustaining head injuries during the tournament, failing to adhere to WRU concussion guidelines, and not maintaining professional boundaries, according to an EWC hearing
Further allegations suggest Ms Williams encouraged a student to deceive their housemistress about taking another pupil to a match, discussed personal relationships with students, revealed and discussed her underwear choices for the following day with pupils, allowed them into her hotel room, answered her hotel room door to a student while partially dressed, asked students about their romantic lives, chatted about her weekend, and showed students videos of her socialising.
The former semi-professional player faces nine charges at the hearing, which is set to conclude on Friday. In addition to the London tournament, the allegations also pertain to supposed misconduct at a match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and a netball game at Christ College Brecon. All incidents occurred between September 2023 and March 2024.
The EWC panel was informed that the school’s under-16s team travelled to London on 17 March to participate in the Rosslyn Park tournament. They stayed overnight in a hotel and competed in the tournament on 18 March before returning to the school late that night. Both Ms Williams and Sophie Witt (now Sophie Hands), the former head of girls’ sport, accompanied the team, reports Wales Online.
Simon Bodley, the school’s former medical centre manager, told the panel that typically he would receive a message or email from physiotherapists about any injuries during such away games. However, he stated that this hadn’t occurred, yet five girls reported injuries to him after the tournament, including head injuries.
The panel heard how one student, referred to as pupil F, had informed him she’d been kicked in the head during the match. Mr Bodley remembered the girl feeling she “had almost been made to play on”.
He stated she should’ve been taken off the pitch and assessed, but during his check-ins with her, she said that after encouragement from other girls, Ms Williams had instructed her not to disclose her injury and to continue playing. He mentioned she was one of the top players and he was “furious”.
However, Andrew Faux, representing Ms Williams at the hearing, also shared how pupil F had stated herself that she wasn’t injured from the kick to the head but had come off “to make sure I was okay”.
Mr Faux also pointed out that Mr Bodley’s memory of dates couldn’t have been correct, which Mr Bodley acknowledged and confirmed that emails actually showed he saw pupil F on Thursday, March 21, rather than the morning following the tournament.
Johanna Edwards, the former deputy head at Llandovery, informed the EWC she had launched an internal investigation regarding injuries allegedly not being properly reported. The EWC was told that Ms Williams stepped down from her position at Llandovery during that investigation.
Ms Hands, who was also present at the tournament, described Ms Williams as someone who “cared deeply about her role and was passionate about girls’ rugby”. “I’m shocked that any allegations has been brought to be here. I hear nothing but praise for her and as far as I’m concerned I’m at a loss as to how this has escalated to this point,” she informed the panel.
Throughout the matches at the sevens tournament in London, Ms Hands said she was only conscious of a head injury to pupil B and confirmed she had been appropriately withdrawn despite her parents’ desire for her to continue playing.
She explained that at the time the college lacked its own concussion protocol but adhered to the WRU guidelines which Ms Williams understood well.
Ms Hands described how all the girls appeared in excellent spirits on the minibus journey home and were singing throughout the trip. The panel was presented with footage of them singing on the minibus and Ms Hands noted they wouldn’t behave in such a manner if they were hurt. The following day, she noticed some girls sitting outside the medical centre complaining of fatigue and headaches. It was her first inkling of them having any issues, and she suspected they were merely exhausted from the journey.
Ms Hands recounted how on 19 March, she was informed that Ms Williams wouldn’t be joining the return trip to the Rosslyn Park tournament where the under-18s were scheduled to play on 20 March. She expressed her reluctance to go without her.
She described Ms Williams as having “good relationships with pupils”. “She did everything I asked and more and would put the girls first. Formed her role with good humour and dedication,” she added.
The panel heard testimony from a student referred to as Pupil E. Pupil E remembered how the night before the tournament, she and two other girls visited Ms Williams’ hotel room for about 15 minutes to discuss the tournament because they were anxious and unsure of what to anticipate.
Pupil E recalled that upon their entry, Ms Williams was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, and they sat on a sofa in the room. She mentioned that while they were there, Ms Williams was folding clothes she planned to wear the next day on her bed, including her underwear.
Pupil E stated that another student commented that the underwear was “nice”, leading to a conversation about their relationship statuses. She said Ms Williams revealed she was seeing someone but didn’t provide any further details.
Pupil E stated: “I don’t believe she liked me and was randomly nice to me. She was fine as a teacher but many of the girls felt she didn’t like us and we felt like we didn’t want to play rugby anymore.”
She expressed disappointment at not having played more during the tournament, especially considering she had paid £300 for the trip, and felt that Ms Williams preferred to select other players over her.
Ms Hands recounted that during the overnight stay in London, both she and Ms Williams had separate hotel rooms on a different floor from the pupils. She confirmed their rooms were opposite each other and she was unaware of any pupils entering her room or her wearing anything other than a college tracksuit.
The hearing also received testimony from a former Llandovery College pupil who participated in the tournament. She described Ms Williams as having a “banterful relationship” with the students, giving the impression that Ms Williams viewed the year 13s as friends and wanted to get along with them.
She remembered how, during the tournament, she’d experienced a head clash in the game with a teammate, but the ex-pupil considered it part of the sport to endure such knocks. She noted that Ms Williams was diligent in ensuring her and the others were alright. “If someone mentioned they weren’t feeling too well she would check up on them specifically, as well as the whole team,” she added.
During the game, she mentioned that pupil F, one of the top players and the captain, “caught a stud”, and she remembered Ms Williams inquiring if she was alright. After confirming she was fine to proceed, the student said Ms Williams responded with “good” and instructed her to “carry on”.
The student felt the substitutes were less skilled and that sports teachers, like Ms Williams, didn’t want to be humiliated and therefore didn’t want pupil F to be substituted.
The day following the tournament, she told the panel she had visited the medical centre with a mate because she was experiencing muscle tension. She confessed she had harboured resentment towards Ms Williams since a match at the Principality Stadium when a player she deemed inferior to her was chosen to start instead.
The hearing continues.